


I want to be yours

by grahamcracker76



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Non-powered AU, Protective Steve Rogers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2019-09-01
Packaged: 2020-10-04 21:47:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20477981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grahamcracker76/pseuds/grahamcracker76
Summary: Steve and Tony pretend to date for the night and end up finding out a lot more about each other than they had planned.





	I want to be yours

**Author's Note:**

> The title and the song Steve and Tony dance to is from “I want to be yours” by the Arctic Monkeys.

_ Steven Grant Rogers get your perfect ass over here right the fuck now _

Steve winced as he read the text - Tony Stark had many nicknames for him, but he always knew that whenever he used Steve’s full name, there was bound to be trouble.

_ On my way now, _ Steve texted back, juggling his portfolio and art supplies so that he could respond. _ Class just let out. Why are you early? _

_ Pepper and Nat, _ Tony replied instantly, which explained the desperation. 

Steve’s best friend Natasha and Tony’s best friend Pepper had just started officially dating after being on and off for months, and they were deep in that nauseatingly happy honeymoon stage. 

They were also constantly trying to get Steve and Tony dates, and their attempts were always met with little success. In Steve’s case, this might have something to do with the fact that Steve had been in love with Tony for years. 

In Tony’s case… well, Steve knew that it couldn’t be the same for him. The two of them had gotten off to a rough start, but they’d been friends for years. More than that, they were best friends. They were the one person the other could always rely on, they knew each other on a soul-deep level… and in all that time, Tony had never given any hint that he wanted something more.

So Tony couldn’t feel anything more than friendship for him. If he did, surely Steve, his best friend in the world, would know it?

Of course, none of this meant that Steve was going anywhere. Steve would always be there when Tony needed him and that wasn’t about to change any time soon.

_ Be there soon, _ Steve texted as he got in a cab. _ Don’t let them get you anything with vodka in it. _

_ Too late _, Tony responded, and Steve repressed a sigh. He could feel a headache coming on already.

When he finally got there, he expected to find Tony at the center of attention, fending off his many admirers with the tired sort of competence that experience brings. Instead, he was surprised to see Tony sitting alone at a barstool, looking somewhere between confused and terrified. When his gaze landed on Steve, Tony’s face lit up and he jumped up to meet him.

“Thank goodness you’re here,” Tony said, still shooting terrified looks around the club. “It’s Pepper and Nat, they brought us to a gay club, can you believe it?”

Steve glanced around, and sure enough, he spotted the two women dancing together in the middle of the crowd by the stage. 

“Do you want to leave?” Steve asked, because Tony looked so out of his depth and almost scared, as though he didn’t know what to do with himself.

“What?” Tony said, frowning at him. “Are you kidding me? They clearly threw down a gauntlet, I’m not backing down. Now I just need you to be my boyfriend for the night and we’ll rock this thing, okay?”

“I’m sorry, what?” Steve asked. “You want me to pretend to be your boyfriend?”

“Yeah, so these guys won’t keep hitting on me all night, of course,” Tony said, rolling his eyes. “I mean, if you don’t want to, we can always go home and watch a movie like we do every night…”

“No!” Steve blurted at once.

He knew full well that this was a terrible idea, because Steve Rogers was in love with Tony Stark. He thought he had been doing a pretty good job of keeping his feelings to himself, but if they did this, and if they did this right, Tony was sure to find him out, and Steve couldn’t bear the thought of losing him when he did.

But Steve had wanted this for so long, it was hard to resist temptation when the opportunity arose. Here was a chance to find out what it would be like to be Tony’s boyfriend… Steve couldn’t refuse it if he tried.

“I’ll do it,” Steve said.

Tony’s answering smile lit up his whole face, and he grabbed Steve’s hand and pulled him close. “You won’t regret it,” Tony said.

Steve could only hope that he was right.

***

It was both better and worse than Tony had imagined it could be, being Steve’s boyfriend.

It was better because it was everything he had ever wanted, and now it was actually happening. Tony played the part of the solicitous boyfriend, fixing Steve’s hair and straightening his collar and keeping an arm around his waist to hold him close. It was easy, finally letting himself do all the things he had wanted to do for years.

At the same time, it was also worse than Tony had imagined, because none of this was real. Steve was a terrible actor, stammering and blushing and generally making a complete fool of himself whenever Tony so much as looked at him.

Steve didn’t want to be doing this, that much was clear. If Steve looked this terrified when they were just pretending… there was no way Steve would ever want to be Tony’s boyfriend for real. All Tony could do was swallow down his disappointment and take this time as the gift it was.

“This ok?” he asked under the guise of pressing kisses to Steve’s jaw. His lips brushed Steve’s skin, and Steve startled, all but jumping away from Tony as he gave him a wide-eyed stare.”I can back off if you’re uncomfortable,” Tony offered softly.

“No!” Steve said at once. “No, this is fine. Great, even. Very… very convincing.”

“Okay…” Tony said with a frown, because Steve still kept shooting him more of those nervous, deer in the headlights looks when he thought Tony wasn’t looking. “And that’s a problem because..:” Tony prompted, because something was bothering Steve.

“It’s not a problem, really,” Steve insisted. “It’s just…” he gave Tony another look, gnawing at his lower lip with worry as he considered, and Tony tried to ignore the way his entire body responded to the sight.

“Are you sure _ you’re _ not uncomfortable?” Steve asked finally, his eyes on Tony’s face. “I mean, I know I’m not the sort you usually go for…”

“Damn right you’re not,” Tony said fiercely. “You’re better than any of them, Steve, you’re so much better. You don’t see yourself clearly at all, you know?”

Steve flushed and looked away at the praise, and Tony elbowed him in the ribs with a grin. “Besides, you’re gorgeous, Steve,” he said. “Anyone would be lucky to be with you. Including me.”

He forced himself to meet Steve’s gaze, and Steve’s eyes were warm and soft. Tony almost thought he saw a hint of something more in Steve’s gaze… but he was kidding himself, he had to be.

Tony swallowed and looked away, bracing himself for the rejection he knew had to be coming. Instead, he startled when Steve’s hand curled around his, their fingers twining together like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Tony couldn’t help staring. His mouth suddenly felt sandpaper dry and his skin was clammy with nerves, because Steve Rogers was holding his hand. Steve heard what he said, and he had to understand the implication behind the words… and yet, he wasn’t ignoring it and he wasn’t outright rejecting it. That had to mean something… right?

As Tony stared, Steve smiled at him. “Let’s dance,” he said.

“...Sorry, what?” Tony asked, because he thought Steve just said…

“Dancing,” Steve said, tugging him towards the dance floor. “A thing commonly done in clubs. I mean, we are here, so we might as well…”

“Sure!” Tony said numbly, his brain still tripping over the fact that Steve was holding his hand, and Steve was smiling at him like he wanted to be here with Tony and no one else. Tony never wanted this to end, because this was all he had ever wanted. 

“Dancing,” Tony said, all but mesmerized by Steve’s ridiculously blue eyes. “I can do that.”

He let the music wash over him, and resigned himself to his fate, because Tony Stark was in love with Steve Rogers, and that wasn’t about to change any time soon.

***

Steve was on cloud nine. He was finally dancing with Tony, something he’d always dreamed of but never had the guts to actually do.

The music was thundering loud in his ears, the bass pounding through his body as the strobe lights flickered overhead. He kept getting lost in the closeness of it: the endless press of bodies against his own, the taste of sweat and desire on his tongue.

And then there was Tony. The crush of people was so close that they were dancing practically chest to chest, so close that Steve could feel the heat of Tony’s body against his own.

Tony clearly knew what he was doing: his hips were swaying in time with the music, his eyes dark as he looked up at Steve through his lashes.

Steve’s feet stuttered, he couldn’t help it, because Tony was right there. Steve’s mouth went dry as his eyes traced the lines of Tony’s body. His slender legs were clad in dark jeans that cinched tight on his slim hips, his chest pressed up against Steve’s own, his thin band tee shirt sticky with sweat. The line of his clavicle caught Steve’s eye, and he couldn’t help thinking how nice it would be to drag his lips along it, to lick at the sweat pooling above Tony’s upper lip, to run his fingers through Tony’s curling hair like he’d wanted to for years. It would be so easy… but no. They’d come here as friends, Steve couldn’t take advantage of that.

His face flushing, Steve jerked his gaze back to find Tony’s eyes locked to his, and they were warm and soft and far too knowing.

“You okay?” Tony asked.

Steve cleared his throat. “Yeah,” he said, his breath catching as someone stumbled into him. “Just… haven’t done this much.”

Tony smiled. “Relax, you’re doing fine,” he said. “See, like this.” 

And then his hands were on Steve’s hips, bringing them even closer as he guided Steve’s hips in time with his.

“See?” Tony said, “it’s simple. Easy.”

Simple, Steve thought as he stared into Tony’s warm brown eyes. Simple, like the feelings he had for Tony that he couldn’t seem to ignore any longer, except there was nothing simple about that. Easy, like it would be to kiss Tony right this second, except there was nothing easy about the aftermath. Easy, like being Tony’s friend was easy, and Steve knew that he couldn’t screw that up, no matter what.

“Yeah,” he said numbly instead. “Easy.”

Tony smiled and opened his mouth, but then someone slid in beside them.

“Tony,” the newcomer said. “Fancy seeing you here. Mind if I cut in?”

Tony froze against him, his eyes flicking briefly to Steve’s, wide and horrified.

“Tiberius,” Tony said.

***

“Aw, come on jelly bean,” Ty said. “Is that any way to treat an old friend?”

He clapped Tony on the shoulder and Tony repressed a shudder. Ty was just as dark and slimy as ever, even more so now that Tony really knew him for what he was.

“I wouldn’t call you that,” Tony hedged, and Ty just smiled.

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” he said. He turned to Steve, his lips curled in a smirk. “I don’t know what exactly you are to Tony here, but I used to be his not-boyfriend, his clandestine lover, his dirty secret.” He held out a hand, and Steve looked at it with disgust. Ty’s lips twitched and he put his hand down. “Tiberius Stone, at your service,” he said.

“Steve Rogers,” Steve replied, his face still stormy, his eyes more dangerous than Tony had ever seen them. “I won’t be needing any of your… services.”

Ty burst out laughing, his hand heavy as he slapped Tony’s shoulder. “Where’d you find this guy?” he asked, and Tony slid out from his grip as he doubled over with laughter.

Tony glanced over at Steve, and his stomach dropped as he read the mingled horror and pity and disgust on Steve’s face. He could deal with a lot in life, but if he ever lost Steve’s good opinion… Tony didn’t think he could stand it.

Tony looked back at Steve, certain he could see the pleading desperation on his face. Steve gave him a minute nod in response, sliding his arm around Tony’s waist and pulling him close.

“I happen to be his boyfriend,” Steve said, and Ty looked between them in shock. “And I don’t take kindly to people trying to intimidate him. If you’re smart, you’ll leave us alone.”

Faced by the imposing image of Steve’s flexing muscles, Ty backed away as much as he could, his hands up. “Okay, geez man,” he said, looking at Tony with his eyebrows raised. “If you want me to go, I’ll go. You know where to find me when he gets tired of you.”

With a mock salute, he slipped back into the crowd and disappeared from view. Tony breathed a sigh of relief and sagged against Steve, resting his head on Steve’s shoulder.

“Fuck,” Tony said, taking a deep breath. “Okay, he’s gone.” He looked up at Steve, startling as Steve didn’t pull away but instead pulled him in, his arms going around his waist to hold him close.

“I am so sorry you had to see that,” Tony whispered, low and mortified, but Steve just slid a comforting hand up his back and turned his face into Tony’s hair.

“Shhh,” Steve told him softly. As they swayed together, the music changed. It was slow and sweet, and Tony couldn’t help melting against Steve, letting the tension out of his body.

“Let’s just dance,” Steve said. “It’s just you and me, Tony. We’re okay.”

***

As they continued to sway back and forth, Steve marveled at how it felt to hold Tony in his arms. It seemed that every line of Tony’s body was pressed up against every line of his, and he knew it was cliche, but they fit together like puzzle pieces. Tony fit perfectly in the circle of Steve’s arms, his head resting just beneath his chin.

He was warm and trusting and oh so close… and yet he had never seemed so far away. How could Steve ever deserve to really be with him… how could he be enough for the man who deserved every good thing the world had to offer? But if by some miracle Tony ever did pick him… Steve knew that he would try.

The song that was playing seemed to be made for how Steve was feeling at this moment: it was full of longing and desire, as the words “I want to be yours” repeated again and again. With his arms around Tony, holding him close and yet still feeling it was nowhere close enough, Steve thought he knew the feeling.

The music swelled and Tony looked up at him, his eyes luminous and shining as the lights swept above them. Steve felt _ “I want to be yours _” pounding through his veins, and thought he saw the same desire reflected in Tony’s eyes.

It would be so easy - they could lean in and lose themselves in each other, hands and lips and tongue. It would be so easy… but Steve didn’t want easy. He wanted _ more _.

So he pulled away, as hard at it was. “You want to get out of here?” he asked.

“God yes,” Tony replied.

“I’m sorry about Ty,” Tony said once they were outside, heading back in the direction of their dorms. “He was from a part of my life that I’m not proud of. I did a lot of stupid things back then.”

“Tony,” Steve told him softly, “I don’t need an explanation.”

He watched as Tony sighed, giving Steve an almost wistful look. “I know, Steve,” he said. “I know that. But the thing is… I want to tell you. You’re the person I want to talk to about… anything. Everything.” He groaned in frustration. “I’m sorry, I’m not explaining this well at all.”

Steve smiled. He felt like his entire body was on fire with anticipation. He thought he knew what Tony was trying to say and if he was right…

“I think you’re saying that you want someone to dance with, but also someone to talk with,” Steve said.

Tony smiled back at him, soft and hopeful. “Not just someone,” he said. “You, actually. I mean, if you want?”

“That’s what tonight was about!” Steve gasped. “You planned this, didn’t you?”

“The club was not, in fact, my idea,” Tony hedged. “But the rest… I wanted to see what it was like, I guess. Being your boyfriend. If you were always like you were with those blind dates Nat set you up on.”

The blind dates were awkward and horrible and half the time the date ended after dinner and Steve never heard from them again. None of them had ever made him feel sick with worry when they were in danger, he didn’t fondly remember their every quirk, he didn’t do idiotic things just to make them happy. He figured he could assume that he didn’t act with them like the way he acted with Tony, not even close.

“And what did you discover?” Steve asked.

“It was nice,” Tony said. “I knew it would be. It was like we always were, but… more. Steve, I liked it, I liked all of it. The hand-holding, the dancing…”

“The flirting, the pet names?” Steve suggested. “I liked it too. Tony… if you knew how long I’ve wanted this…”

Tony smiled, his eyes bright. “Steve, are you saying…”

“Yes, Tony,” Steve said, a smile breaking free. “I would like to be your boyfriend. I want to hold your hand and flirt with you and go dancing with you and be the one you want to talk to. I’ve wanted it for a long time.”

“Shit, Steve,” Tony said. He was smiling like he couldn’t stop, his eyes bright as he kept sneaking sideways looks at Steve. 

They were back at their dorms by then, the moon shining high above them. They went up the stairs and piled into the elevator, both smiling at each other quietly. When the elevator slid open, they headed down the hallway, their hands finding each other once more.

When they reached their rooms, Steve turned to Tony with a smile. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said. “You want to have breakfast with me?”

Tony looked back at him, his thumb tentatively stroking at Steve’s hand where their fingers were still twined together. “I think we could make something good, together,” he said, and Steve knew that he wasn’t just talking about the breakfast. “You’re not the only one who’s been thinking about this for a long time,” Tony told him, and Steve couldn’t resist.

He held Tony’s hand tighter and bent to gently cup Tony’s face with his other hand. Their lips met, and Tony sighed against him. The kiss was soft and tender, full of promise and the hope of better things to come. When they broke apart, Steve brushed Tony’s unruly curls back from his forehead and Tony smiled, his eyes shining.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Tony said.

“Tomorrow,” Steve agreed, and he let Tony go, knowing that they would have a lot more time to look forward to - together.

***

F I N

***

  



End file.
